1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a material handling platform that may be installed on a material transport vehicle for carrying material on the platform and for rotating material relative to the longitudinal axis of the material transport vehicle. The material handling platform is particularly adapted for use in underground mining operations but the platform has applications other than for underground mining.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of vehicles have been provided with turntables on the vehicles for one purpose or another. U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,893 discloses a rotary turntable that may be placed in a production line to move the products to various locations.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,966,866 discloses a vehicle on endless tracks which has a turntable onto which a cement mixer may be driven. The turntable can be turned to permit the cement mixer to discharge cement to the sides of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,349,012 and 1,663,832 also show vehicles having turntables which may be utilized in paving and roadbed construction. U.S. Pat. No. 817,434 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,328 disclose turntables mounted on railway type vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,385 discloses a baggage cart which has a turntable mounted on its top surface. U.S. Pat. No. 2,572,776, U.S. Pat. No. 3,190,475, U.S. Pat. No. 1,384,077 and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 15,976 all show various types of portable turntables on vehicles.
None of the foregoing prior art shows a platform having a turntable wherein the platform may be both raised and lowered and also tilted and which may be readily secured to or removed from a material transport vehicle as the requirements of a particular job may require.